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Sweeney Todd

 
Paul T. Davies Review by Paul T. Davies 5 Published: 22 Jul 2026 Frinton Summer Theatre Show Dates: 21 Jul 2026-25 Jul 2026

I’ve seen many productions of Sondheim’s classic Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, from star-led West End spectaculars to amateur productions and award winners. But none has created such an atmospheric experience as Frinton Summer Theatre has. With the staging reconfigured in traverse style, with the audience along the walls and on what is usually the stage, alongside a runway that ends with Sweeney’s barber shop, it’s as immersive as you can get without ending up in a pie! Undoubtedly, this caused challenges for the front of house team in seating everyone safely, and sightlines are an issue (which I’m sure the team are working to resolve as I write this review). Then the cast enter and the goosebumps arrive; this is a superb theatrical experience.

As Immersive as you can get without ending up in a pie

The cast are to (not literally) die for. There isn’t a weak link in this company of strong singers and actor-musicians. Michael Robert-Lowe is an outstanding Sweeney Todd, his physicality and powerful voice oozing threat from the start as we see his mind constantly plotting his revenge on Judge Turpin. He is at his most threatening when he speaks in almost a whisper, and more of this would be effective. Alice Redmond is a perfect Mrs Lovett. What is interesting in being so close to her is that we see her marital yearnings and seaside dreams so clearly. She may be aiding and abetting a murderer, but she has her needs. Edward Watchman and Ayesha Patel bring humanity to Anthony and Johanna’s love story, and David Phipps-Davis is a perfectly sleazy Judge Turpin. Luke Farrugia is a show-stealing Pirelli, Rob Gathercole a superbly oily Beadle Bamford, and Joe Keegan captures innocence and poignancy perfectly as Tobias. Claire Aster is heartbreaking as the Beggar Woman, and the ensemble is completed by Abigail Rogers, fully engaged in the story, and it’s thrilling to see cast members move from the instruments they are playing into characters and back out again.

Director Clive Brill has given full rein to his inventiveness, using powerful symbols and semiotics to convey the mounting death toll, and Neil Somerville’s excellent musical direction gets the most out of every note. Set designer Juliette Demoulin deserves huge applause for the reconfiguration of the space, and the building team have worked so incredibly hard. In actual fact, everyone, from the creatives to the front of house volunteers, deserves full praise for creating a unique experience. As the sole surviving repertory theatre company in the UK, their rich, almost 90-year history has rarely seen a production as thrilling as this.

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The Blurb:

Sondheim's classic musical brought to the oldest repertory theatre. Attend the tale of Sweeny Todd- by the sea!